Oregon State Passes a Restrictive Gun Control Law

by Scott Gartneron February16, 2018

Gun laws that ensure citizens the right to protect themselves with firearms are of utmost importance and yet local, state, and federal government agencies sometimes wear away at those rights with restrictive laws. In late August 2017, Oregon state lawmakers passed a new law allowing government officials to confiscate an individual’s firearms if they are given reason to believe that they are a danger to family members or to themselves. Thankfully, several politicians are seeking to gather signatures so that the issue can be added to the ballot in November 2018. Republican Representatives Mike Nearman and Bill Post believe voters would overturn the gun control measure.

The law that has passed was supported by some Republicans. Other gun bills that were even more restrictive received only Democrat support and didn’t even make it to a vote.

Republican Senator Brian Boquist supports the new measure, claiming that it will help to reduce the number of veteran suicides.

Questionable Benefits of Legislation

Many people, such as the President of Oregon Gun Owners, Paul Phillips, doesn’t buy into the intended “benefits” of the new law. He says that the legislation that exists under the disguise of suicide prevention is actually a way to deprive citizens of their second amendment rights. He claims that the way the law is written, gun confiscations can occur simply based on nothing more than hearsay. The gun owner is given no opportunity to defend his or her right to maintain her firearm. The following are more attributes of thenew Oregon restrictive gun law:

Any person can file a petition for an “extreme risk protection order” and it can be against anyone they are either living with or related to. Within one day of filing, a hearing is held without providing any sort of notification to the gun owner, which will naturally result in guns being quickly seized.

Only hearsay evidence is needed to confiscate guns. No evidence is needed.

The language in the law is ambiguous enough to open the door to widespread abusive gun confiscation.

Police officers in Oregon can petition for anyone they deem dangerous for any reason to have their guns confiscated, even if someone behaves in a strange manner.

Once guns have been seized, getting them back is extremely difficult.

The law is a clear violation of the “due process” clause in the 14th Amendment.

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